An overview of the latest Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria research.

Popular probiotics: The latest on Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria

Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, RH (AHG), is a certified nutritionist and registered herbalist with 42 years of dietary supplement industry experience. With a master’s degree in nutrition and a second master’s degree in herbal medicine, he has a proven track record of formulating innovative, evidence-based dietary supplements. Mr. Bruno currently serves as both the vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at 

 and professor of nutraceutical science at Huntington University of Health Sciences.

 are the most well-known genera of probiotic organisms that normally occur in the human gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. Many of the individual species for these two probiotic genera play important roles in promoting good health. These probiotics are also used therapeutically for the purpose of recolonizing the gut where they may have been depleted for one reason or another (e.g., antibiotic therapy, poor diet, etc.).

With the understanding that the body relies on these probiotics for multiple functions—including the absorption of nutrients, preventing colonization by pathogenic (harmful) bacteria, and metabolizing foods and certain drugs—recolonization is an important consideration. While probiotic strains are found in some fermented food products—e.g., yogurt, sour cream, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha (fermented) tea and fermented soy (miso, tempeh), kimchi, etc.—they are more popularly consumed as an encapsulated, powdered, and even gummy supplement.

First off, can you really have a deficiency of probiotics?

Given that probiotics are not nutrients with a daily value, probiotic deficiencies in the human body are not always a topline nutrition subject. However, in the journal 

, researchers noted that some inflammatory conditions of the gut are thought to be caused, at least in part, by “a relative deficiency of bifidobacteria”.

In addition, there are negative ramifications to deal with when probiotics are present in insufficient quantities. An example of this is small intestine bacterial overgrowth syndrome (SIBO), a condition associated with the increase in pathogenic microorganisms. This occurs, in part, due to the fact that there are insufficient numbers of friendly, probiotic organisms to inhibit the spread of the harmful, pathogenic organisms.

 The result is an increase in chronic diarrhea, translocation of bacteria and their toxins from intestine to the blood, as well as intestinal absorption disorders causing vitamin B12–deficiency anemia, low levels of various vitamins, and protein deficiency.

A major strategy for decontamination of the small intestine in this instance is the use of probiotics (both after antibiotics and independently), which suppress the opportunistic pathogenic organisms, protect the mucous coat, improve digestion, and arrest diarrhea.

The effectiveness of probiotics in correcting some of the previously mentioned nutrient deficiencies has also been seen in research where vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies where corrected in children supplemented with 

So, in answer to the question, I’d say that a relative probiotic deficiency is a real thing.

Probiotics Use for a Wide Range of Disorders

Of course, probiotic supplementation has value beyond the prevention and treatment of probiotics deficiency. The fact is that probiotics have also been advocated for use in a wide range of disorders, with strong evidence to support efficacy. In fact, probiotics are now used extensively for this purpose

, and a significant amount of research has been conducted on different probiotic species in the 

genera for different purposes. Following is a brief overview of that research.

 genus includes a group of lactic acid–producing probiotic species

 that make up many of the 400 normal probiotic species in the human body.

 from yogurt has been shown to decrease the incidence of recurrent bacterial vaginosis.

 Laboratory research has also shown that 

, which is implicated in the development of ulcers. In a irritable bowel syndrome, 

 has been shown to improve abdominal pain, bloating, number and quality of stools, and general physical state.

casei was found to be effective in the treatment of bacterial overgrowth.

 produces substances called bacteriocins, which act as natural agents against undesirable microorganisms.

acidophilus has been shown to correct the increase of gram-negative bacteria which occurs following the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics given in the treatment of acute or chronic diarrhea.

 is among the probiotics with the greatest number of proven benefits. Part of the reason for this may be that 

 attaches to intestinal epithelial cells better than some other 

 Furthermore, randomized double-blind studies have provided evidence of 

 effectiveness for the treatment and prevention of different types of diarrhea

 of acute diarrhea in children aged 6-24 months. 

 also adheres better to urogenital cells than other 

, which may translate to preventing attachment by pathogenic bacteria. As noted previously, a combination of 

casei may be effective in the treatment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

 has been shown to reduce the severity of chemotherapy-induced enterocolitis

 (an inflammation of both the small and large intestine). Also, 

 In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

 was effective in significantly and rapidly reducing abdominal pain and flatulence in irritable bowel patients. At 12-month follow-up, those same patients maintained their improvement in overall gastrointestinal function. This probiotic may also be used to help prevent traveler’s diarrhea.

 also produce lactic acid. These appear to be the most important organisms in the intestine in helping to create a microbial barrier to infection. Specifically, 

 produce antimicrobial substances that are effective against many harmful gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Research indicates that supplementation with 

 can reduce stool frequency, abdominal discomfort, and stool clostridial spore count in antibiotic-associated diarrhea

, although other research did not find the same significant reduction in diarrhea.

Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum,

 was shown to help prevent relapse and reduce disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis when used as an adjunct to treatment with medication.

 genera normally occur in human beings and play important roles in promoting good health. Furthermore, probiotic deficiency—at least relative probiotic deficiency—is a real thing, and the use of a good probiotic supplement can help prevent and treat it. In addition, a significant amount of research has been conducted on different probiotic species in the 

genera, demonstrating that probiotic supplementation has value for a wide range of health purposes.

Bacteria in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome

vol. 16, no. 24 (June 28, 2010): 2978-2990

[Bacterial overgrowth syndrome in the small intestine: pathogenesis, clinical significance and therapy tactics]

[Microecological aspects of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome]

Plasma cobalamin and folate and their metabolic markers methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine among Egyptian children before and after nutritional supplementation with the probiotic bacteria 

International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition,

 vol. 57, no. 7-8 (November-December 2006): 470-480

Probiotic use in clinical practice: What are the risks?

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,

confers broad-spectrum protection against disease in humans and animals.

 group A3 (Johnson et al. 1980) with the type strain of 

International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology,

Probiotic use of lactobacilli in the human female urogenital tract.

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology, 

Intravaginal instillation of lactobacilli for prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections

colonization in women with recurrent urinary tract infections

species prevents colitis in interleukin 10 gene-deficient mice

 compared with pasteurized yogurt as prophylaxis for recurrent candidal vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis

vol. 5, no. 10 (November-December 1996): 593-596

Rasic J et al. “Antimicrobial effect of 

 Arch Gastroenterohepatol 1995;14:158-160.

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with Lacteol Fort: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial

The American Journal of Gastroenterology,

Alteration of intestinal microflora is associated with reduction in abdominal bloating and pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

 strains cereal) on bacterial overgrowth-related chronic diarrhea

Detection and activity of Lactacin B, a bacteriocin produced by 

Human intestinal microflora in health and disease

Role of dietary lactobacilli in gastrointestinal microecology

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 

vol. 33, Suppl. 11 (November 1980): 2448-2457

Nutritional and therapeutic aspects of lactobacilli

GG to prevent diarrhea in undernourished Peruvian children.

Clinical indications for probiotics: An overview

Meta-analysis of probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhea and the treatment of 

 supplementation for diarrhoea related to chemotherapy of colorectal cancer: A randomised study

vol. 97, no. 8 (October 22, 2007): 1028-1034

Effects of probiotic bacteria on diarrhea, lipid metabolism, and carcinogenesis: A review of papers published between 1988 and 1998

 GG as a diarrheal preventative in travelers

Multicentric study of the effect of milk fermented by 

International Journal of Clinical Practice, 

The effect of supplementation with milk fermented by 

 (strain DN-114 001) on acute diarrhoea in children attending day care centres

Examination of strains of lactobacilli for properties that may influence bacterial interference in the urinary tract

Biotherapeutic effects of probiotic bacteria on candidiasis in immunodeficient mice

vol. 65, no. 10 (October 1997): 4164-4172

 by inducing intestinal mucin gene expression

 strains from resident infant human gastrointestinal microflora exert antimicrobial activity.

Probiotics and prebiotics: Can regulating the activities of intestinal bacteria benefit health?

, vol. 318, no. 7189 (April 10, 1999): 999-1003

Bacteria in the gut: Friends and foes and how to alter the balance

 vol. 134, suppl. 8 (August 2004): 2022S-2026S 

 reduces erythromycin-induced gastrointestinal effects

Improvement of lactose digestion in humans by ingestion of unfermented milk containing 

Science, vol. 79, no. 5 (May 1996): 750-757

Randomized controlled trial of the effect of bifidobacteria-fermented milk on ulcerative colitis

Journal of the American College of Nutrition,

Randomized placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of bifidobacteria-fermented milk on active ulcerative colitis

vol. 20, no. 10 (November 15, 2004): 1133-1141 

Articles

Photo © iStockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen

 found that krill oil may have neuroprotective qualities that slow down hallmarks of aging.

“There is no question that we need more science to understand how we can impact and improve the life quality of an aging population,” said Line Johnsen, vice president, science and innovation, for Aker BioMarine, in a press release. “We have invested in a new study that looks at how krill oil can influence many underlying mechanisms that contribute to aging.”

 model of Parkinson’s disease which found that krill oil provided by Aker BioMarine protected dopaminergic neurons from aging-related degeneration, decreased alpha-synuclein aggregation, and improved dopamine-dependent behavior and cognition. According to the researchers, “Krill oil rewires distinct gene expression programs that contribute to attenuating several aging hallmarks, including oxidative stress, proteotoxic stress, senescence, genomic instability, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mechanistically, krill oil increases neuronal resilience through temporal transcriptome rewiring to promote anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammation via healthspan regulating transcription factors such as SNK-1.”

SenGupta T et al. “Krill oil protects dopaminergic neurons from age-related degeneration through temporal transcriptome rewiring and suppression of several hallmarks of aging.” 

A recent study found that krill oil may have neuroprotective qualities that slow down hallmarks of aging.

Krill oil may support healthy aging, says recent study

Oil from fig seeds has a 30% fatty acid composition that includes oleic, linoleic, linolenic, palmitic, stearic and arachidic fatty acids.

Fun fact! Oil from fig seeds has a 30% fatty acid composition that includes oleic, linoleic, linolenic, palmitic, stearic and arachidic fatty acids.

Fig seed oil

 Best of the Industry awards this year, we are highlighting three winners for their contributions in 2022.

These are companies investing in the future. Take this year’s Industry Leader, 

. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, Brightseed and its partners are discovering the world’s next generation of ingredients that will benefit human health. Some of these discoveries are already coming to market, and in our awards story, we recognize the company’s many advances this year.

Our second award winner, in the Ingredient Supplier category, is 

, a company that’s dedicated itself to developing Ahiflower, a sustainable, plant-derived source of omega fatty acids. The company is spreading the word that a non-marine source of omegas is possible—and is sorely needed by a world deficient in these critical nutrients.

, a company working to elevate standards and quality in the black seed product market specifically. The company is shining a light on what exactly companies and consumers need to look for to identify high-quality ingredients—something we can all appreciate.

These companies are looking to the future of the industry and charting a better path forward in health and wellness in ways that will benefit not only the companies themselves but all of us.

Join us in congratulating our 2022 Best of the Industry award winners. Read their stories and stay tuned for the upcoming December episode of 

 in which we take you beyond the page with one-on-one interviews with each of our award winners.

Ingredient Supplier: Natures Crops International

In Nutritional Outlook’s 2022 Best of the Industry Awards, we recognize individuals, groups, and companies whose initiatives today are helping to shape, for the better, the state of the dietary supplement and natural products industry.

Nutritional Outlook’s 2022 Best of the Industry Award Winners

The concept of artificial intelligence (AI) can conjure all kinds of associations influenced by decades of inventive science fiction, but in reality, it’s just an innovative new tool that, when applied to the right goals, can have a genuinely positive impact. Case in point is San Francisco, CA–based Brightseed, 

 pick for our 2022 Best of the Industry Awards Industry Leader.

Brightseed, an AI-driven data and bioscience company, uses its AI platform, Forager, to find new bioactive compounds that have the potential to support human health. With Forager, Brightseed can significantly speed up the research and development process to create innovative and scientifically validated nutraceutical products while also contributing new insights into human health and nutrition.

Put simply, Forager accomplishes this by drawing connections between compounds found in plants and their potential biological mechanisms, based on clinical evidence. “Forager comprises three main modules,” explains Jim Flatt, co-founder and CEO of Brightseed. “The first module enables identification of the 99% of ‘dark matter,’ the small molecule compounds in plants that have not yet been characterized. The second module is a digital model of human health that enables the prediction of compounds that will beneficially modulate clinically validated biological mechanisms that are determinants of various health conditions. The third module enables prediction of the best plant sources capable of producing novel bioactive compounds of interest.”

The third module is informed by research conducted by Brightseed’s co-founder and chief technology officer, Lee Chae, at Stanford University’s Carnegie Institution for Science’s Department of Plant Biology. According to Chae, “Forager makes these connections by offering a deeper and broader view into the chemical composition of plants as well as a mechanistic prediction of how they act in the human body.”

It is this level of this insight that allows Brightseed to form testable hypotheses about how certain bioactives will impact specific pathways and receptors in the body that lead to specific health benefits, Chae explains. From there, Brightseed can design and interpret nutritional trials with greater speed and accuracy. “As Forager’s data sets grow, we are traversing molecules and new chemical landscapes that have long gone unexplored,” he adds. “Machine learning enables this bioactive data collection and discovery at a pace, depth, and scale that were previously unachievable.”

According to Brightseed’s calculations, only about 1% of potential bioactives have been studied scientifically, but its work with Forager has increased this number exponentially into tens of thousands of predicted bioactives, claims Chae. “This large-scale mapping increases our speed and likelihood of success translating a discovery into a commercial product,” he explains. “We were able to discover, translate, develop, and commercialize our bioactive product in less than five years, compared to the typical 8-10 years it takes to develop and commercialize a new ingredient. We did this all while building our young company. We hope in the future we can further speed up our pipeline to reduce this time to 3-4 years per discovery.”

. This is the first ingredient developed and commercialized by Brightseed that is based on Forager’s discovery of two novel bioactives: N-trans-caffeoyltyramine (NCT) and N-trans-feruloyltyramine (NFT). Forager found these compounds in over 80 common edible plant sources, with the greatest abundance in hemp seed hulls. Preclinical data confirmed that NCT and NFT act as potent HNF4-alpha activators to support proper liver and metabolic function, as well as a healthy gut barrier lining. Now, Brightseed Bio 01, introduced to the market this fall, is being marketed as a novel dietary hemp fiber ideally suited for functional food and beverage products. The company has partnered with Puris (Minneapolis) to create a product prototype called BioCrisp+, which combines Bio 01 with Puris pea protein to create a crunchy product for inclusion in cereals, bars, and baked goods.

One can view Brightseed Bio 01 as a proof of concept of both Brightseed’s Forager technology as well as its manufacturing and commercialization capabilities. For Brightseed, this is only the beginning. The company recently closed a 

 for a total of $120 million in capital which Brightseed will use to expand its R&D and commercialization efforts. On top of this, Brightseed has ongoing partnerships with numerous brands that see the potential of the Forager platform for new product development, including the likes of 

. Outside of the growth and success of the company, Brightseed’s founders also recognize the larger implications of its Forager platform to benefit mankind.

In a recent article Flatt wrote for the World Economic Forum, ahead of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, he proposed that bioactive compounds found in nature are the most potent tool for transforming nutrition as part of a public health initiative. As Americans fall short of daily fruit and vegetable intake requirements, fueling chronic disease on a massive scale, “it’s not an exaggeration to say that unlocking more bioactives and mapping their effects on our biological systems has a seismic and global potential to transform human health,” wrote Flatt. With tools like Forager, this knowledge can be accelerated for rapid development of solutions.

“There is a global opportunity to accelerate clinical studies on known and newly discovered bioactives to expand the breadth of scientific knowledge, which in turn will accelerate government and industry adoption of these evidence-based natural solutions for consumers,” says Sofia Elizondo, Brightseed’s co-founder and COO. “Bioactives need to be included in an expanding definition of what the FDA considers ‘healthy’ and regulated so consumers can benefit from them, and industry can innovate with them.”

For Brightseed, applying Forager’s insights on a larger scale with partners in the food and health industries means more widespread adoption of previously unknown bioactives as resulting new dietary ingredients and drugs hit the marketplace. “We firmly believe that bioactives should be acknowledged as a key element for maintaining, supporting, and restoring human health, and Brightseed’s work is paving the way towards that future,” says Elizondo.

The work continues. With production and commercialization of Bio 01 underway, Forager continues to crunch its numbers. Chae tells 

 that there is currently a pipeline of more than a dozen discovery programs through which Brightseed is working to identify bioactives across numerous health areas, including cognitive, metabolic, digestive, and immune health.

“Our pipeline of novel bioactive ingredients plans to address some of the most pressing and unmet consumer health conditions including metabolism, weight management, glucose management, cognitive health, sleep, stress, and more,” says Elizondo. “By focusing on these key health areas, we hope to provide ingredients that are an integral part of full-body, proactive health.”

Brightseed’s innovative AI platform, Forager, is unlocking the potential of plant bioactives while also accelerating research and development of novel ingredients.

Nutritional Outlook’s 2022 Best of the Industry Awards, Industry Leader: Brightseed

Jennifer Grebow is the editor-in-chief of 

, an award-winning media-content provider in the dietary supplement and natural products market. 

, an MJH Life Sciences brand, provides insights and industry updates critical to manufacturers of dietary supplements, healthy foods, and nutritious beverages. 

 keeps industry abreast of current market trends, research updates, news, and regulatory developments. 

goes beyond the 24-hour news cycle and provides in-depth analysis to help industry players navigate the challenges and changes in the near- and long-term. 

, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

If Ahiflower oil seems too good to be true, that’s because it almost is. Imagine if the world found a way to increase population levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA—all without having to raid marine ecosystems? That’s the promise of Ahiflower, a complete and balanced 

 source of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. It’s what Natures Crops International (Winston-Salem, NC), Ahiflower’s discoverer, believes makes this ingredient the world’s most important plant-based source of omega fatty acids heading into the future.

The company, founded in 2007, discovered Ahiflower quite by accident. Ahiflower oil is extracted from the 

) plant. “Under the guidance of one of the inventors of Lorenzo’s oil”—a medicinal oleic acid and erucic acid mixture extracted from rapeseed oil and olive oil—“we were looking for specific plant species within the family 

because the published literature—this was before Google or Wikipedia was a thing—indicated that this family were predisposed to accumulating omega-3s, especially stearidonic acid, in their seed oils,” recounts Andrew Hebard, CEO and founder of Natures Crops International. “The mission simply was to find a plant-based alternative to fish oil that could be grown by farmers and scaled up globally and not cost-prohibitively. Purely by coincidence, one of the species, 

 happened to be a weed native to the UK, also known as stone seed or corn gromwell. We literally stumbled upon it growing in a hedgerow.”

What makes Ahiflower such a valuable find is that it contains 

omega-3 fatty acids—primarily stearidonic acid (SDA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)—

omega-6 fatty acids—primarily gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).

First off, SDA and ALA are precursors to the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), meaning that the body naturally converts these plant-based omega-3s into EPA and DHA. As we know, EPA and DHA have been clinically shown to play critical roles in cardiovascular and neurological health, among other benefits. So by consuming Ahiflower’s plant-based omega-3s, you end up getting the studied health benefits of EPA and DHA in the end.

 source of these omega-3 fatty acids; it is the 

 source of these omega-3. For instance, SDA is the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that converts most readily to EPA and DHA; it converts to EPA and DHA at four times the rate that the other plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, ALA, does. And Ahiflower just so happens to be the richest, non-genetically modified, plant-derived source of SDA.

Furthermore, unlike marine omega-3 fatty acids, Ahiflower also contains omega-6 fatty acids like GLA, which offers additional benefits for the skin, hormones, and inflammation. And although other plant-based sources of GLA exist, such as evening primrose oil and borage oil, the fact that you can opt for Ahiflower oil and get not only GLA but also the rich source of omega-3s SDA and ALA makes Ahiflower “a truly unrivaled omega source, naturally complete and balanced, containing more and healthier omegas than any other natural plant or seed oil on the planet,” the company says.

A critical question is why would someone choose a plant-based omega source like Ahiflower, whose fatty acids must first convert to EPA and DHA, instead of going straight for the preformed EPA and DHA fatty acids contained in traditional marine-based omega sources like fish oil? Simply put, sustainability. Already, the world is monitoring threats to the planet’s fish stocks and marine ecosystems. Industries like marine-based omega-3s have had to be very careful not to overfish and overtax these environments. Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to tap into marine sources at all but were still able to get the omega fatty acids we need for health? Enter Ahiflower, gotten solely from regeneratively grown plants.

The next question is whether Ahiflower’s fatty acids convert well into the long-chain PUFAs EPA and DHA, which pose so many researched health benefits. One of the debates in the omega industry has been whether or not plant-based sources convert efficiently to EPA and DHA. Some automatically assume that preformed EPA and DHA from marine sources are superior. However, says Natures Crops, “Emerging preclinical and clinical science indicates that plant-based ALA and SDA convert to circulating DHA relatively rapidly and achieve adequate brain DHA levels, while significantly elevating circulating EPA levels especially from higher omega-3 SDA intakes. This challenges the accepted consensus that plant-based omega-3 sources don’t convert to DHA ‘efficiently.’”

The proof is in the science. Most recently, in 2022, for instance, University of Toronto researchers in Canada

 showed “controlled evidence in mammals that Ahiflower maintains DHA levels in key tissues like the brain and liver and converts (biosynthesized) DHA nearly as efficiently as marine-based DHA,” says Hebard.

Evidence like this will continue to be critical in convincing the world that plant-based sources 

 be an optimal source of the omega-3s our bodies need. “The implication of recognizing that most humans are naturally efficient plant-based omega-3 converters is profound,” the company states. “It could shift the present global reliance on wild-harvested forage fish oil to regeneratively farmed sources. Practically every temperate climate country around the world could participate in their production.”

The need for omega-3s is great. As has been so often reported, modern diets are severely deficient in omega-3s, and the high intake of omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) in Western diets additionally throws off the optimal omega-3:6 ratio, further reducing the efficient conversion of EPA and DHA.

Ahiflower continues to lead the pack of plant-based omega sources. “Until Ahiflower oil came onto the market in 2015, brands and consumers had basically three options in omega-3 supplements: ALA-based (flax, chia, perilla); wild marine-based (fish or krill); and algal-based (mostly DHA),” says Greg Cumberford, vice president of science and regulatory, Natures Crops. “In omega-6 GLA supplements, the choices were dominated by borage and evening primrose oils. Ahiflower oil’s unique fatty acid composition—it has the richest omega-3-6-9 levels of any natural omega source—combines the healthful attributes of flax, fish, evening primrose, and olive oils, all in one regeneratively grown plant source.”

It also offers formulation benefits. “Ahiflower is inherently more stable oxidatively than marine or algal EPA/DHA oils due to its shorter-chain omega-3 and -6 fatty acids,” he points out. “This translates to longer shelf stability and more diverse delivery system options, including in a range of food and beverage formats that longer-chain PUFAs are much harder to formulate with.” As such, he says, “Ahiflower oil’s clean taste and aroma allows companies to widen omega-3 applications and inclusion levels in more food-friendly food and beverage formats than is typically possible from marine or algal-based sources. Think: gummies, plant-based milks, squeeze-pouches, emulsions, snack bars, chocolates, and culinary oils.”

Natures Crops’ mission is to expand Ahiflower’s footprint in the omegas world. The company is making some traction, and it unleashed a host of innovations in 2022 that will expand the ways in which companies can use Ahiflower in health-promoting products.

For instance, at this November’s SupplySide West trade show in Las Vegas, Natures Crops introduced a 

, developed with CoreFX Ingredients (Evanston, IL), which ultimately gives product formulators a convenient powder form of the ingredient for products like protein and meal-replacement powders.

Says Cumberford, “Today, most consumer-facing brands are offering Ahiflower oil in health supplement formats, notably pourable omega-rich oils, vegan softgels, meal-replacement powders, and gummies. The most popular formats today are vegan softgels and gummies, with pourable or pumpable liquids following closely behind. With the recently launched CoreFX Dry Ahiflower 70GA powder making a fairly big splash at SupplySide West, we expect that a lot of innovation in foods and beverage preblend mixes and emulsions will launch in 2023-2024.”

Categories where he says the company would like to see Ahiflower “flourish” include refrigerated plant-based milks, ready-to-drink beverages in aseptic boxes, protein powder blends, kids’ squeezable fruit/veggie pouches and gel sticks, and pre- and post-exercise snack bars. “These are all examples of convenient, lifestyle-enhancing, non-pill formats in which Ahiflower oil can complement other functional actives like vitamins, minerals, probiotics, enzymes, and amino acids,” says Cumberford.

Another innovative partnership in 2022 took place between the company and algal omega-3 producer Algarithm Ingredients (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada) to create 

blends of Ahiflower oil with Algarithm’s DHA ingredients

. “We partnered with Algarithm because their algal DHA products are of the highest stability and sensory quality, their DHA oils are fully traceable to source and processed without solvents (like Ahiflower oil), their company has zero infrastructure invested in marine omegas, and they are based in Canada just like Natures Crops for simpler end-to-end ingredient supply,” Cumberford explains. “We could not ask for more alignment on our companies’ core values and desire to make omega nutrition more regenerative, good tasting, and affordable. We decided to offer Ahiflower oil in DHA-enhanced blends to allow brands that want or need to state a DHA milligram amount on their labels an easier onramp, industry-leading sensory quality, and a simpler, more direct supply source.”

Of course, what brings home the story of Ahiflower ultimately is its enduring message of sustainability. Further cementing this, Natures Crops this fall announced the company achieved coveted 

 attesting to its high standards for both social and environmental performance. Of this landmark achievement, Hebard says, “Honestly, it’s one of the highlights of my 35-year career in the agricultural, food, and natural products industry because it speaks so clearly to our ‘why,’ as Simon Sinek has encouraged us to think about. We pursued it for various reasons but primarily to demonstrate that we walk the talk as well as talk the talk when it comes to trying to be a better business and to give social and environmental matters a voice and accountability alongside, and in many cases ahead of, profitability.”

And while Ahiflower is still a newer ingredient, Natures Crops is working hard to spread awareness and teach the world about its value as a critical omega source for the future. “For me,” says Hebard, “Ahiflower is about leaving a legacy behind that in its own small way can improve human health and nutrition, provide a valuable new crop with really important environmental benefits for farmers to grow, and greatly reduce the pressures on our oceans from the unnecessary harvesting of millions of tons of small oily fish. How many people or businesses get to really pioneer something like this and leave it behind for future generations? Our moonshot is to eventually have over 1.0 million acres of Ahiflower cultivated globally as a regenerative and terrestrial solution to addressing the huge omega imbalance that commodity agriculture and fast food has created. We have started to build something that I feel will be so impactful in the future, and I must say that without the support of our brand partners who have helped us move forward, and the belief, passion, and ability of my team at Natures Crops, we wouldn’t be here. Although ambitious, I hope we can be an exemplar of how to build a business combining human and planetary wellness whilst providing a meaningful return to all stakeholders.”

 asked Andrew Hebard, CEO and founder of Natures Crops International, and Greg Cumberford, vice president of science and regulatory, some additional questions about Ahiflower.

How has the Ahiflower market, and Natures Crops’ Ahiflower business, grown over the past two decades?

 We’ve gone from "Ahi-what?" and a crop that we sowed more than we reaped to now having a little bit of traction in the healthy oils category (especially omega-3s) and a prolific crop that farmers have really embraced growing. I think we have achieved quite good visibility in the North American B2B supplement space, but we’ve got a long way to go before we reach our target of ubiquity in the consumer space! I feel like we are transitioning from being pioneers of a new generation of plant-based omegas to being recognized as a genuine alternative to marine lipids and really helping address the deficit of omega-3s in our diets.

What patents does Natures Crops International hold on Ahiflower?

 We use Plant Variety Rights (PVR) protection instead of conventional general utility patents. These allow us to breed and protect our own proprietary plant genetics and unique varieties, such that wherever the trademark Ahiflower is seen, the products came from Natures Crops’ unique and protected crops.

Where and how in the world are Ahiflower crops grown?

 All crops are grown under strict identity-preserved contracts with our farmer partners, and all are grown following regenerative-agriculture practices and cultivated under our agronomic team’s direct supervision. Currently, commercial production is in the UK, but we anticipate growing in the Canadian maritime region in the future and in some strategic southern hemisphere regions once our oil demand requires it.

What are the health benefits of Ahiflower oil for body and skin? What are the key health markets for Ahiflower?

 We are seeing two distinct yet overlapping health areas. One is the condition-specific health areas widely associated with omega-3s, such as supporting inflammation management, immune function, gut health, cardiovascular, and cognition; the other is all round nutritional health and vitality through having a better, complete, and balanced fat intake. Where I think the whole omega-3 industry agrees and should converge is that our diets are completely out of whack regarding omega-3, and our mission at Natures Crops is to find sustainable, affordable, and effective ways to address this.

Are there any business partners that Natures Crops wants to mention, partners it works with on Ahiflower?

 Gosh, there’s quite a few, but broadly they are all our UK farmer partners who have done an absolutely sterling job of helping us take a somewhat diminutive weed where we sowed more than we reaped and transformed it into a regeneratively grown, valuable, and profitable rotation crop (and reaping more than we sow)—and all our many brand and distribution partners who have trusted us with their brands, who share our vision for a plant-based omega future, and who have taken the time to dig into the science and challenge the status quo about omega nutrition. I really want to give a callout to some of our first pioneering brands like Clean Machine, Greens First, and Plexus who have courageously and successfully pioneered this value proposition. I’d also like to recognize consumer need-state pioneers like Nouri (gut health), Forest Remedies (immune health), R3SET (anxiety/sleep), Braini (cognitive), and Wiley’s Finest (overall wellness) for advancing innovative delivery formats that respond really well to consumer demand.

Ahiflower has been a player in the plant-based ingredients scene for a while. Why does this ingredient still command interest even in a broadening plant-based ingredients space?

 In the 50+ year life of the EPA/DHA omega-3 supplement market, Ahiflower oil is still relatively new and achieving wider mass consumer awareness in the past couple of years. Food and beverage markets have vast white space opportunities, to say nothing of rapidly rising pet-supplement opportunities. Many mainstream omega-3 supplement brands still have not complemented their marine-based omega supplements with Ahiflower oil, so significant market growth potential exists. Ahiflower oil commands growing interest because its emerging science is so compelling as a no-sacrifice alternative to marine omegas and its versatility across a wider range of food-friendly, non-capsule formats. On every point of trending consumer demand— regenerative, plant-based, vegan, clean tasting, complete and balanced, supporting overall wellness—Ahiflower oil products deliver exactly that with no ocean extraction, genetic modification, or omega-3 conversion efficiency downsides. In 2023-2024, consumers and practitioners will see many more Ahiflower-based offerings boosted by ever-stronger clinical science validation, all of which points to people getting all the daily omegas they need for optimal wellness from plant-based sources, led by Ahiflower.

The Ahiflower pioneer is showing the world how plant-based omegas can provide needed nutrition, sustainably.

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